School uniforms cost half a million a set, parents say 'they're a few dozen cheaper than shirts at the market'

Uniforms are expensive but... ugly

Mr. Nguyen Quoc (37 years old, Cau Giay district, Hanoi) said that at the elementary school his daughter attends, parents buy uniforms in the middle of summer vacation. He had to spend nearly 1 million VND to buy uniforms with the school logo, including a shirt, trousers and gym clothes... the amount of money spent is not small, but the quality of the uniforms received is not as expected, worse than shirts bought a few dozen times at the market.

"The white shirt had the school logo printed on it, so I had to buy it. I had no other choice. However, the pants and gym clothes were too stuffy, the material was like nylon, difficult to breathe. I don't like the ready-made uniforms at school because they are both expensive and ugly," said Mr. Quoc.

After each gym class, because her clothes did not absorb sweat, his daughter "had a strange smell". Many times she asked her parents about this, and Mr. Quoc and his wife had to encourage their daughter, "You only need to wear the uniform at school, just be patient."

School uniforms cost half a million a set, parents say 'they're a few dozen cheaper than shirts at the market' - 1

School uniforms at a primary school in Ho Chi Minh City. (Illustration: Lam Ngoc)

Ms. Thanh Nga (39 years old, Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi), who has two children in secondary school, expressed her dismay at the quality of school uniforms. Most of the clothes do not absorb sweat, even when washed, the color fades a lot, and the hot fabric quickly becomes wrinkled.

"Poor quality uniforms are tattered after one year of use, and the following year they have to be bought new ones. There are many expenses at the beginning of the year, so parents have to scramble to pay early for their children. Adding another expense is an additional burden ," she lamented.

Before the new school year begins, the school will send a list of uniforms with prices for parents to consider the quantity. Based on actual conditions and needs, parents will register the items to buy. "I only buy one item of each type for my child to complete the set. My child also doesn't like to wear school-made clothes, often complaining that they are uncomfortable," said Ms. Nga.

This parent expressed her wish that the quality of the uniforms would be improved because her child wears the uniform all week. The gym uniform should be made of cool, soft, stretchy fabric, but in reality it is hot and stuffy. She is forced to buy more clothes from outside stores for her child to use.

Students are obsessed with wearing uniforms.

Not only are parents fed up with the quality of uniforms not commensurate with the price, but students are also haunted by having to wear uniforms that are both stuffy and hot all week long. Recalling her school days, Nguyen Hai Yen (18 years old, Cau Giay district, Hanoi) is still haunted by uniforms, especially in the summer.

" Long-sleeved shirts, gym clothes and winter coats. During regular school hours, students are required to wear seasonal uniforms," the female student said. In the summer, despite the "scorching heat," students are still required to wear long-sleeved white shirts with dark trousers.

If students do not wear the uniform properly, they will be warned and have their points deducted. Most of them are very afraid of this because it will cause the class to lose points and drop in the school's ranking. In hot weather, having to wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers all the time is no different from torture for many students. "The uniform is hot in summer and cold in winter because the shirts are made of synthetic fibers, mixed with a lot of nylon, which is quite thin and does not retain heat," Yen recalls.

School uniforms cost half a million a set, parents say 'they're a few dozen cheaper than shirts at the market' - 2

Students wear uniforms all day at school. (Illustration: TN)

Similarly, Mai Anh (a 12th grader in Ninh Binh) also feels uncomfortable with the uniform. As it is her final year of high school, Mai Anh has determined that she will have to study very hard. It is the beginning of the year, but almost every day she leaves home in the morning and does not return until late at night.

"The school is quite far from my house, so I usually stay at noon. This means I have to wear my uniform all day," Mai Anh said, adding that because she sweats a lot, it is very stuffy when wearing long-sleeved shirts that cannot let the sweat escape. On hot days, she comes home with her back soaked. Wearing tight shirts also causes her back to break out in pimples, making her very self-conscious.

Selling uniforms, who benefits?

Ms. Trinh Tra My (31 years old, Thanh Tri, Hanoi) only dares to order one uniform per season for her child's elementary school because she also has to "bear" other expenses.

She registered to buy shirts, trousers, and autumn uniforms for 210,000 VND/set, and winter coats for 250,000 VND. The total amount she had to spend was 750,000 VND. Not only the uniform fee, but she also had a headache because of other expenses such as social contributions, parent funds, books, school supplies, and extra classes.

The amount of money this parent has to prepare for their child's new school year is up to tens of millions of dong. " I buy more uniforms from stores outside the school, at a cheaper price to save some money. In these times of rising prices, every penny is worth it," she said.

Following Ms. My's introduction, the reporter contacted the owner of a production facility in Thanh Tri district to ask about the price of uniforms and was surprised when the price here was 40,000 - 100,000 VND cheaper per product than buying at school.

Close-up of gym uniforms at a secondary school. (Photo: PHCC)

Here, summer and fall uniforms cost 170,000 VND/set (the school sells 210,000 VND/set), winter jackets cost 150,000 VND/set (the school sells 250,000 VND). This person promises "nice fabric, comfortable for children to wear" and adds that many parents buy in groups, ordering in large quantities to get a good price.

Ms. TL, who works at a uniform manufacturing facility in Hanoi, also revealed that custom orders from schools, with large quantities, will be discounted by 10-15% compared to the normal retail price. For example, a retail uniform shirt costs about 120,000 VND, while the school buys a large quantity for only 100,000 VND.

"Ordering in bulk is much cheaper, not to mention the broker who places the order will also get a commission, the amount depends on the quantity and fabric quality," she said.

According to a survey, some online sales channels sell gym pants for primary school students for only 30,000 to 50,000 VND/piece, depending on the type. Thus, parents can buy a whole gym set for less than 100,000 VND. Meanwhile, at many schools, a gym set costs about 150,000 VND.

Similarly, shirts cost from 80,000 VND/piece, and trousers cost 150,000 VND/piece. Students buy ready-made shirts and trousers at school, which usually cost from 250,000 to 300,000 VND.

Regarding the story of school uniforms, Mr. Nguyen Van Quy, a teacher at a secondary school in Ha Tinh, asked whether students must wear uniforms to school.

" A uniform does not have a very positive impact on the learning process of students," said Mr. Quy. When students are free to choose their school clothes, they will feel comfortable and interested in studying. However, freedom here does not mean that they can wear whatever they want, but must be appropriate to their age and school environment.

At the unit where Mr. Quy is working, the school requires students to wear uniforms 2 days/week. On the remaining days, students choose their own suitable clothes. "I see that students are very happy and comfortable when they can wear their favorite clothes, within the allowed framework. Schools need to have a realistic view of the story of student uniforms to make appropriate adjustments," the male teacher said.

At the end of August 2023, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training requested that schools not require students to buy new uniforms, but only wear clean and neat clothes to encourage savings and create favorable conditions for students in difficult circumstances. School uniforms must be designed simply, in a style suitable for the students' age and local culture, and agreed upon by the school board and parents.
Schools can provide samples (designs, colors, logos, etc.) for parents to proactively purchase for their students. Schools are not allowed to keep any student out of school because they do not have a new uniform.

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